An Adairsville police officer is back home with his family today after a ballistic vest likely saved his life during a deadly shootout early Thursday morning.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has taken the lead on the case and identified the deceased suspect as 26-year-old Saeed Ahmed Reed of Clayton County.
The incident began around 1:15 a.m. when an Adairsville officer pulled over an SUV for speeding on Joe Frank Harris Parkway. The driver, later identified as Reed, pulled into the Mapco Gas Station.
According to GBI investigators:
- Reed initially exited the vehicle from the passenger side, walked around to the driver’s side, and got back in.
- He then attempted to drive through the parking lot toward another exit.
- When the officer stopped the SUV a second time, Reed ignored commands and walked away.
The situation escalated rapidly when the officer deployed a Taser. The GBI reports the Taser was ineffective. Reed then pulled a handgun from his waistband and fired at the officer, striking him once in the chest.
Fortunately, the round hit the officer’s bulletproof vest. The officer returned fire, striking Reed multiple times. While the officer was treated and released from a local hospital this morning, Reed was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the medical facility.
The GBI revealed that four other people were inside Reed’s SUV during the gunfight: three adults and one child. None of the passengers sustained injuries.
While the Adairsville Police Department originally noted that Reed had multiple felony warrants, the GBI is currently conducting an independent investigation to confirm the full sequence of events. Once finished, they will turn the case over to the Bartow County District Attorney’s Office for review.
We will continue to track this story and provide updates as the GBI releases further details.